Timer



Patented Mar. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATES OTIS E. PEARSON, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

TIMER.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTIS E. PEARSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Timers; and I y do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved construction in timers and one object of the invention is to provide an improved type of rotor which will be carried by the rotary shaft of the timer and carries a contact element which is loosely mounted and yieldably held in an extended position so that it may contact with contacts positioned about the wall of the timer casing during rotation of the shaft.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this rotor that shoulders may be provided upon opposite sides of the hollow arm in which the contact is loosely mounted and spring strips secured to the shoulders and extended into the hollow arm with their free end portions overlapping and engaging the movable contact to yieldably hold the contact against inward movement.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this rotor that the spring strips may be one longer than the other thus preventing the structure from having sympathetic vibration when the contact element is moved inwardly through engagement with the contacts of the timer casing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotor which is so constructed that it may be readily put in place and also readily removed and to further so construct it that it may be easily taken apart for cleaning and replacing worn out and broken elements when necessary.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. wherein:

Figure 1 is a view showing the improved timer in elevation with the side arms thereof positioned between the contacts of the casing and the contact of the side arm fully extended.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the contact of the rotor in engagement with one of the contacts of the casing and Application filed March 9, 1922. Serial No. 542,311.

moved inwardly against the-action of the spring strips.

Figure 3 is a view showing the rotor in section the view being taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The timer casing C which is shown will be of a conventional construction and about its walls will be provided with contacts C which are to be engaged by the contacts of the rotor as the shaft S rotates. The usual terminals T have been provided for the contacts C so that the usual. conductor wires may be held in place. It is to be understood that if desired a timer casing having a different specific structure of contact in its annular wall may be substituted for that shown in the present illustration.

The rotor carried by a timer shaft S is provided with a sleeve 1 which fits upon the shaft and is secured by a pin 2 which passes through the rotor and shaft and is held in place by a collar which fits about the sleeve. This sleeve which may be termed a carrier or body portion is provided with a hollow side arm 3 which extends radially of the sleeve and is provided with side openings 4. The outer end portion of this hollow arm is turned in to provide an inwardly extending abutment portion which will serve to prevent the contact ball 5 from moving outwardly through the outer end of the hollow arm. beyond a desired amount. It will thus be seen that the contact ball which fits loosely in the hollow arm may be projected outwardly so that as the shaft and rotor rotate. this contact ball may engage the contacts of the casing and while engaged with these contacts C be moved inwardly against the action of the spring strips 6 and 7 These resilient strips 6 and 7 extend transversely of the hollow arm through the openings 4 and have their outer ends secured upon shoulders 8 and 9 which extend from opposite sides of the hollow arm adjacent the side openings thereof. It should be noted that the shoulder 9 extends from the hollow arm to a greater extent than the shoulder 8 and that therefore in order to have the inner free ends of the spring strips extend in overlapping relation as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the spring strip 7 must be of greater length than the spring strip 6. By having the spring strip 7 of greater length than the strip 6. the strips may be moved inwardly as shown in Fig. 2 and when moved inwardly loy engagement of the contact 5 with one of the contacts C, sympathetic vibration between the two strips 6 and 7 will be prevented. Theretore the contact 5 will be firmly held in engagement with the contacts C and continuous spark assured while the contacts are in engagement with each other. When so desired, the fasteners 10 can be removed thus releasing the springs and peri'nitting removal of the ball 5.

A timer has thus been provided which is cl'hcient in operation and simple in construction.

I claini:

l. A carrier for fitting upon a rotary shaft, an arm extending therefrom a contact element fitting loosel i in the arm and projectahle through the outer end thereof, and spring strips extending; transversely of the arm and extending; into the arm and having their free ends overlapping and yieldahly holding; the contact against inward movement, one spring strip being of greater length than the other to prevent syi'npathetic vibration between the strips when the contact is moved inwardly 2. A carrier for fitting; upon a rotary shaft, an arm extending; transversely therefrom, a contact element fitting loosely in said arm and having; outward movement beyond the end of the arm and sprin strips mounted at the sides of thearm and extending into the same and having their free ends extending in overlappinnrelation and engagging the contact element to yieldahly hold the contact elen'ient against inward moveinenti 3. A carrier for fitting; upon a rotary shalt a hollow arm eidtendingfrom said carrier, shoulders extending; from the sides of said arm, a contact hall fitting loosely in said arm and projectable through the outer end of the arm, and relatively long and short spring strips carried said shoulders and extending into the hollow arm and having their free ends overlapping and engaging' the contact hall to yieldaloly hold the ball against inward movement.

d. A sleeve for fitting upon a rotary shal't, a hollow arin extending from said sleeve and havingside openings, shoulders extending "from said arin one shoulder extending from the arm a, greater distance than the other. a Contact element slidal'de in said arm and projectahle through the outer end thereof and relatively lone; and short resilient strips carried 'oy said shoulders and extending into the arm through the side openings thereof and having their free ends extendingun overlaopingrelation and engaging the contact element to yieldahly hold'the contact in projected position.

5. A timer comprising a casing, contacts spaced about the inner periphery of the easing, a carrier for fitting: upon a tin'ier shalt within said casintr a sleeve extending "from said carrier, a ball in said sleeve for engagthe contacts of said casing, the sleeve heing provided with an inwardly extending flange limiting outward movement of said hall. shoulders extending from said carrier upon opposite sides of said sleeve, and spring;

strips carried by said shoulders and extendinc; into the sleeve through openings in the sides thereof. the spring strips being); one shorter than the other and having their free ends extendingin overlapping relation within the sleeve and (JlQfiQflUQf said hall to resist inward movement of the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

one rniinsoni 

